August 4, 2005 Newsletter

============================== Microwaves & RF UPDATE PlanetEE - www.planetee.com MWRF - www.mwrf.com August 4, 2005 ============================== Greetings and welcome to your personal copy of PlanetEE's Microwaves and RF UPDATE e-newsletter. Please see below for address-change or subscribe/unsubscribe instructions. Today's Table of Contents: 1. More Consolidation in CAE 2. Agilent To Acquire Eagleware 3. CSR To Acquire UbiNetics' Software Business 4. Amateur Radio Deployed On Space Station 5. Cascade Enters Microfluidics Metrology Field 6. FWT Venture Group Earns Antenna Patent 7. Terabeam Completes Proxim Acquisition 8. RelComm Expands On-Line Relay Store 9. Happenings - Conferences ************************ ADVERTISEMENT **************************** Attend the Digital Vector Signal Analysis e-Seminar Learn how Agilent has combined its logic analyzers with vector signal analysis to provide in-depth signal analysis on digital baseband, IF and RF signals. Instead of using home-grown software tools for digital baseband analysis, users can quickly get spectrum and modulation analysis right on their logic analyzer. Click to learn more. http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=10166:FFCBF ******************************************************************* *************** 1. Viewpoint *************** More Consolidation in CAE Consumer software companies constantly consolidate. Microsoft's track record speaks for itself, allowing the firm to assume a near-monopolistic position in the computer world. In the engineering world, however, software company takeovers can often become traumatic for users who must adapt to changes in technical support and sometimes even changes in operating systems. This week's major computer-aided-engineering (CAE) news is Agilent's "absorption" of Eagleware, which itself had recently merged with Elanix. The move is certainly a testimony to the fine work and persistence of vision of Eagleware founder Randy Rhea as well as the management skills of current Eagleware president Todd Cutler. Eagleware has built a strong reputation on the accuracy and accessibility of its tools--one of the "little" CAE companies that truly understood its customers needs and responded quickly to them. These low-cost but effective tools now become part of the much larger Agilent-EEsof, perhaps best known for their Advanced Design System (ADS) suite of software tools. As most engineers will tell you, if ADS can't model it, it can't be modeled. They will also tell you that ADS can take years to learn (let alone master). It should be interesting to see how Eagleware's user-friendly products will evolve as part of the Agilent-EEsof portfolio. JACK BROWNE Technical Director ************* 2. News ************* Agilent To Acquire Eagleware Agilent Technologies (Palo Alto, CA) has signed a definitive agreement with privately held Eagleware Corp. (Norcross, GA) to acquire the software business Eagleware-Elanix. The move would combine mostly complementary lines of high-frequency software modeling tools under the Agilent EEsof name. Agilent EEsof plans to offer jobs to the majority of Eagleware-Elanix employees. For one of those Eagleware-Elanix employees, CEO Todd Cutler, the move represents a homecoming of sorts since he was with Hewlett-Packard/Agilent EEsof prior to taking the helm of Eagleware from founder Randy Rhea. For Agilent, this move adds a line of relatively easy-to-use and versatile engineering tools to its family of high-level circuit and system design tools, such as the Advanced Design System (ADS) suite of software programs. For Eagleware-Elanix, the transaction marks the culmination of steady growth since its inception in 1989, including the recent acquisition of Elanix (Westlake Village, CA), best known for its system-level and digital-signal-processing (DSP) tools. Agilent Technologies ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=1015F:FFCBF Eagleware-Elanix ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=1015C:FFCBF ********* 3. News ********* CSR To Acquire UbiNetics' Software Business Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) has entered into an agreement with UbiNetics Holdings Limited (Cambridge, England) to acquire UbiNetics' software business. The acquisition, for $48 million US, will be financed entirely from CSR's existing cash resources. UbiNetics specializes in communication protocol software for mobile telephone manufacturers. The move provides CSR with a strong design team to accelerate its existing software developments in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and ultrawideband (UWB) technologies. UbiNetics, which has developed protocol stacks for GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA/UMTS, and HSDPA since 1999, has 170 engineers in Bangalore, India and Shenzhen, China, in addition to its Cambridge UK headquarters. John Hodgson, CEO of CSR, noted that "In acquiring UbiNetics, we are exploiting our distinctive capabilities by extending CSR's capacity for sustainable innovation and by improving our ability to be flexible to market needs." Cambridge Silicon Radio ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=10165:FFCBF UbiNetics ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=10161:FFCBF ********* 4. News ********* Amateur Radio Deployed On Space Station Yesterday's walk in space in the vicinity of the International Space Station (ISS) accomplished more than just repairing insulation. Astronaut Soichi Noguchi unfolded a Passive Experiment Container (PEC) to activate a PCSat2 amateur radio package mounted on the exterior of the ISS. Noguchi, on the space walk with Astronaut Steve Robinson pulled a couple of mylar strips to deploy the radio's antennas. The PCSat2 radio, which was built by US Naval Academy students, will operate in cooperation with the amateur radio on the ISS, providing a 10-m PSK31 multiple-use transponder, FM voice repeater, and AX.25 packet system. The station should be fully operational in a few days, with early telemetry available on the alternate downlink frequency of 437.975 MHz during the first few days of activation. American Radio Relay League ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=10163:FFCBF US Naval Academy ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=10164:FFCBF ********** 5. News ********** Cascade Enters Microfluidics Metrology Field Best known for its microwave wafer probes and on-wafer measurement systems, Cascade Microtech (Beaverton, OR) is entering a new field: microfluidics metrology. Hoping to accelerate life science research in microfluidics, the firm has announced its L-Series Microfluidics Metrology Systems for testing microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices that control microliter amounts of fluid. By reducing the time and cost per test, microfluidic-based devices are becoming more practical for pharmaceutical drug discovery and bioscience research. The L-Series Microfluidics Metrology Systems incorporate patent-pending microports that enable faster and more efficient microfluidics measurements. The L-Series is available in four system bundles (L100, L200, L300, L400) that offer a full range of pricing and functionality to meet the specific needs of the researcher. Cascade Microtech ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=10156:FFCBF ************************ ADVERTISEMENT **************************** Believe in what you do for a living. For over 100 years, Harris Corporation has provided advanced product, system and service solutions to government and commercial customers. At Harris your skills, ideas and experience help shape some of the most remarkable communications technologies. Discover a rewarding career. Discover Harris. Our RF Communications Division is now hiring. Visit us at http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=1015B:FFCBF EOE ******************************************************************* ********* 6. News ********* FWT Venture Group Earns Antenna Patent The Focused Wave Technology (FWT) Venture Group (Las Vegas, NV) was awarded US Patent 6,914,588 last month for its innovative FWT approach to antenna design. The method yields half-wave performance in a fraction of the size of conventional half-wave antennas. The technique encapsulates three-dimensional antenna elements in a spatially configured dielectric material to effectively achieve the electromagnetic (EM) fields of a much larger structure. The miniature antennas are also conformal in nature, making them ideal for installation in military airframes. The FWT Venture Group is a joint venture between FWT developer Marc Popek and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. The group was formed in October 2002 to commercialize new technology. FWT Venture Group ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=1015E:FFCBF ********* 7. News ********* Terabeam Completes Proxim Acquisition Terabeam Wireless has completed its acquisition of nearly all of the assets of Proxim Corporation. The combined company provides a wide range of broadband communications technologies and products, including turnkey Wi-Fi indoor and outdoor systems, WiMAX systems, and wireless Gigabit Ethernet systems. Most of Proxim's employees have joined Terabeam, with Kevin Duffy, formerly Proxim's President and CEO, becoming Terabeam's President and COO. In addition, David Olson, former Proxim senior Vice-President of Global Sales and Operations, will retain that title at Terabeam. According to Duffy, "this union creates a new force with a powerhouse of talent and technology." Terabeam Wireless ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=1015D:FFCBF *************** 8. News *************** RelComm Expands On-Line Relay Store RelComm Technologies has announced the expansion of its on-line store for RF relays, The RF Relay Store. Visits to the on-line store can purchase from one to ten components per line item using a credit card. Relays include single-pole, single-throw (SPST) through single-pole, ten-throw (SP10T) units. A variety of configurations are available, with connectors for printed-circuit-board (PCB) mounting. Relays operate from DC to 18 GHz with a starting price of $45.00. The RF Relay Store ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=10159:FFCBF ******************************* 9. Happenings - Conferences ******************************* RF and Wireless Communications Summit August 17, 2005 Austin, TX http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=10154:FFCBF Bipolar Circuits and Technology Meeting (BCTM) October 10-11, 2005 Santa Barbara, CA http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=1015A:FFCBF IEEE Compound Semiconductor IC Symposium (formerly the GaAs IC Symposium) October 30 - November 2, 2005 Palm Springs, CA http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=10160:FFCBF Wireless Congress 2005: Systems and Applications November 9-10, 2005 Munich, Germany http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=10155:FFCBF Automatic RF Techniques Group (ARFTG) 66th Microwave Measurements Conference December 1-2, 2005 Marriot Hotel, Washington, DC http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=10162:FFCBF ************************ ADVERTISEMENT **************************** For the Latest in Test and Measurement Read "Browne's Blog" only at http://www.mwrf.com/ ******************************************************************* Read past issues of Microwaves and RF (MWRF) UPDATE e-Newsletter: http://www.mwrf.com/ MICROWAVES AND RF (MWRF) UPDATE e-NEWSLETTER CONTACTS ==================================================== Technical Director: Jack Browne mailto:jbrowne@penton.com Associate Editor: Laurie Collins mailto:lcollins@penton.com Advertising/Sponsorship Opportunities: Paul Barkman at 1-908-704-2460 or mailto:pbarkman@penton.com ==================================================== To subscribe click here: http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=10157:FFCBF To unsubscribe click here: http://nls.planetee.com/u?id=92976FF2A879FA46D45A9B735EF022C0 Penton's e-Newsletter homepage: http://www.planetee.com/ ==================================== Copyright 2005 Penton Media Inc. 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